Clearly my dad
has the money to help me out. But would he? The man might have murdered my
mother in cold blood. And here I was in his house. You’d think I’d have learned
my lesson about walking into traps. I just didn’t think I’d have much of a life
without basketball. Maybe that was melodramatic of me, but it was how I felt. I
needed to get the best surgery possible.

Summary: Unthinkable. Out of the question. Basketball is what
Spencer lives for. Risking losing that is not an option. Yet, a mission league
training activity gone wrong leaves him with a torn ACL. His grandma can’t
afford much – just the cheap surgeon the insurance offers – the rude one who
acts completely apathetic to Spencer and his injury. Spencer isn’t willing to
risk something so vital on a man like that! Which would be why he finds himself
standing at the entrance to a mansion, prepared to ask his father for help… the
father who betrayed the Mission League, caused his mother’s death and abandoned
Spencer… the father who may be out to kill Spencer as well. As if all of this
isn’t enough, Spencer can’t stop thinking about the blond beauty in his visions
who is clearly being abused… and who has disappeared from school. Things are
building up and Spencer is in way over his head yet again.

Notes: Ambushed is the fourth in the
Mission League Chronicles, a series about an unsaved boy who joins a Christian
Spy Group for teens just to keep out of the military school his grandmother is
threatening him with.

As the
series progresses he learns of his parents’ history with the league, develops
some friends, gets introduced to spiritual gifts – including the gift of
prophecy – which he has, and discovers that he may be the fulfillment of a
prophecy himself and therefore a key target for the enemy. In this series there
are good and bad examples set by all of the characters but it is pointed out
clearly which are which most of the time so the teenage reader isn’t left doubting
which is right and which is wrong. Purity is a common resounding theme as
Spencer learns how to treat girls with respect and decency.

In
this book, Spencer has sworn off girls. He doesn’t want anything distracting
him from his goal of getting a basketball scholarship. That focus causes him to
do other dangerous things though. He openly acknowledges that is taking stupid
risks just to achieve his dream. However, a betrayal from a close friend pushes
him to a point where he is finally ready to give God his attention.

A huge
spiritual element that is key in this book comes when Spencer attends a
birthday party that Gabe’s dad hosts for him, focusing on helping Gabe figure
out what it takes to become a man. Spencer can’t stop thinking about evaluating
everything he sees according to those terms. Is he really living life in a way
that is respectful, responsible and righteous? Are those around him?

Spiritual Content
Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Philippians 1:9-11 – And this is my prayer: that
your lovemay abound more and more in knowledge and depth of
insight,so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be
pure and blameless for the day of Christ,filled with the fruit of righteousnessthat comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of
God.

For more books:

I know the power of a good story and want to help you find these good stories!
For a searchable database of Christian Teen Fiction go to:
http://baseportal.com/cgi-bin/baseportal.pl?htx=/ChristianFictionIndex/main
Find me on FB:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/116037821811737/